Mission planner for the aerial release of mosquitoes

Abstract

A method and system for preparing a distribution program for insects comprises obtaining distribution data of a wild population of insects; obtaining distribution parameters including distribution resolution levels of at least one available distribution vehicle; generating a population density map at a resolution level consistent with the distribution resolution level of the vehicle; generating a release map by modifying the population density map in accordance with the distribution parameters; and generating a path using the release map, the path defining dosages of insects to be released at respective locations along the path.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a National Phase of PCT Patent Application No. PCT / IL2017 / 050303 having International filing date of Mar. 9, 2017, which claims the benefit of priority under 35 USC § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 306,224 filed on Mar. 10, 2016. The contents of the above applications are all incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein in their entirety.FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, relates to mission planning for aerial release of insects and, more particularly, but not exclusively, to release of sterile male mosquitoes.[0003]Today there are large regions in the Americas, Africa and Asia that are highly susceptible to vector-born diseases transferred by mosquitoes, such as Dengue, Malaria, Chikungunya and others. These are infectious disease carried and spread by a bite from a female mosquito. There may be other diseases which are also spread by other insec...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The invention is about planning and executing the release of insects from aerial platforms in a way that maximizes the use of time and resources. Specifically, by using appropriate planning techniques, unevenly distributed insect populations can be adequately serviced. Additionally, weather conditions such as wind speed can be taken into account to ensure effective distribution of the insects. In summary, the invention provides an efficient and effective means to release bugs from the air.

Problems solved by technology

Mosquitoes are fragile insects, and a problem arises when trying to store, transport and release the modified male adults in the very large numbers and over very large areas that are needed to make a significant difference to the wild population.

Research continues to explore methods for mass rearing of the lab mosquitoes, and current distribution methods are mostly manual, and limited in the numbers of mosquitoes that can be delivered and the terrain they can be delivered to.

Aerial delivery of mosquitoes is known, but even so, due to the difficulties of rearing and handling the fragile insects, the laboratory grown sterile males remain a limited resource that needs to be carefully allocated for maximum effect.

However mosquito populations do not cover uniform areas but rather tend to exist in hotspots, particularly around stagnant water.

Thus the majority of mosquitoes released are likely not to meet up with the wild mosquito populations.

Even with knowledge of the ground distribution of the mosquitoes, aerial release involves a considerable amount of drift, meaning that even if release is over particular ground locations, some of the resource will be wasted.

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